5 ways to protect yourself against the 'ransomware' that's taking over the internet

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Flickr / Laura Taylor

Security experts are warning that ransomware is going to become a big problem this year. And that means you should really be taking steps to protect yourself now, if you haven’t done so already.

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Ransomware, which is a form of malware, works by either holding your entire computer hostage or by blocking access to all of your files by encrypting them. Once infected, you will generally receive a message stating that you must pay a certain amount of money, usually $500 or more, to get the key that will decrypt your data. An LA hospital was the victim of a ransomware attack last week and ended up paying $17,000 to a hacker group to get its data back.

Tech Insider spoke with Liviu Arsene, a senior security researcher at the security firm BitDefender, to get some tips on how to avoid ending up in a situation where all of your data is taken hostage. 

Here’s what he recommended.

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Never click a suspicious email.

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Lindsey Turner/flickr

One of the most important things you can do to prevent a ransomware attack is to be cautious about what email attachments you open.

"A well prepared user, a well informed user, will never click an email attachment from somebody that he doesn't know," Arsene said.

This is because the most common way people get infected with malware is via opening an email attachment, which then uploads the malware to the computer.

You should also try and only visit websites that have a solid reputation. 

If someone sends you an email with a link and you don't know anything about it, or it looks suspicious, don't click it. 

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Keep your software on all of your devices up to date.

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Flickr/P7302833

A few years ago, ransomware was primarily targeted to the Windows operating system, but these days cyber criminals have broadened their reach and developed new tools so that they can infect a range of platforms.

"Make sure your operating system and all your applications are all up to date so no vulnerability can be exploited in order to deliver you malware," Arsene said.

"Ransomware is no longer limited to windows operating system. It is also expanding to Linux and Android, which means these guys have realized that the more operating platforms, they can adapt their ransomware to, the more money they will make," Arsene said.

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Backup your data regularly.

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Make it a habit of backing up your files on an external device that is not tied to the network and completely offline, Arsene said.

This isn’t something you need to do everyday, but you should try and make this a this a weekly or bi-weekly habit. This way, if you do get infected with ransomware, you can at least wipe your computer clean and restore it from the last backup.

However, make sure your backup isn’t also connected to your network because if a hacker is able to get into your network, they could also infect your backup solution and prevent you from having access to it.

"If you don’t have a back-up and you don't have protection, you are gambling," Arsene said.

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Try not to pay the ransom.

The screen of Southern California's first two bitcoin-to-cash ATMs which began operating today, is seen in Locali Conscious Convenience store in Venice, Los Angeles, California, June 21, 2014. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
The screen of Southern California's first two bitcoin-to-cash ATMs which began operating today, is seen in Locali Conscious Convenience store in Venice
Thomson Reuters

If you don’t have a backup solution, paying the ransom may be your only hope to get your files back. In which case, it’s your call as to whether or not you decide to pay the hackers.

But Arsene said he generally recommends people not pay the extortionists. 

"We do not encourage people to pay the ransom because it only fuels the cybercriminals means to continue developing more advanced and sophisticated ways of delivering that ransomware to your computer," Arsene said.

Not only that, but there is no guarantee that the hackers will actually give you the key to decrypt your files. So you could possibly end up paying and then never seeing your files again. After all, you are dealing with criminals. 

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Educate yourself on best practices.

woman laptop
Flickr / John Loo

It's important that you educate yourself about the best safety practices and pay attention to what threats are out there. 

That doesn't mean you have to become a security expert, but it does mean you should take the steps mentioned in addition to having some sort of security software installed on your computer. 

If you take these steps, there's a good chance you'll avoid getting hit with a nasty ransomware infection, Arsene said. 

"It has been my experience, that a malware experience can be prevented with a minimum amount of effort and knowledge by the user," he said. "All of these security mechanisms combined with user awareness can usually prevent 90% of a malware infection."

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